QSO Today with Dale Parfitt W4OP

W4OP

3/7/2020

Episode 292 - Dale Parfitt - W4OP

Dale Parfitt, W4OP, developed a love for operating VHF and above, including moonbounce operation, from an early exposure to a 6 meter Gonset Communicator, or Gooney Box. His love for electronics grew into a career as an electronics engineer and the entrepreneur founder of Par Electronics where custom filters and antennas are Dale’s special forte. W4OP tells his story in this QSO Today.

Show Notes

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Hometown: Elmira, NY

Current QTH: Sylva, North Carolina
First license: WV2YPY, Novice, 1962, later upgrade to General WA2YPY

Most complex home-brew project: 160-10 Meter Transceiver

Dale’s company: PAR Electronics, Inc.

Favorite test equipment:
Agilent 8713 Vector Network Analyzer
Adret Signal Generator

People
Bill Parfitt, WB2NEV

Elmers
Cousin Bill is: WB2NEV
CW Elmer Joe Spedico W2ZBD

Randy Terrell, K9BCT
Jim Stafford, W4QO
Wes Hayward, W7ZOI- “Progressive Receiver”

Rigs:
Vintage Zenith Floor Radio
Olson 1 transistor radio

First Rig:
Heathkit DX20 Transmitter
Heathkit DX40 Transmitter
Eico 720 Amateur Transmitter
Magic Eye Tube
Hallicrafters SX-96 Receiver
National Radio NC188
Gonset Gooney Box on 6 meters

Current Rig:
Elecraft K2 HF Transceiver
Elecraft K3S HF Transceiver with 144 mhz option
Roofing Filters
Transverter 1296 to VHF
13.5 Foot Dish Antenna
Drake 2B Receiver
Clegg Venus 6 Meter Receiver

Terms:
Shortwave Radio
Radio Moscow
Moscow Mailbag
RC Airplanes ham bands
Crystal Set
Chemung Electronics, Elmira, NY
Moonbounce Communications
EME - Earth Moon Earth
Avanti Research and Development - West Palm Beach
HF Rectangle Antennas
VHF/UHF Omniangle Antennas
ARRL EME Contest
1296 Mhz band is optimum for EME
LNA - Low Noise Amplifiers for EME
Epigee
Parigee
Elliptical Orbit
Libration Fading
Faraday Rotation
Circular Polarity
Galileo GPS
Meteor Scatter
Aurora Radio Reflections
Syracuse University, BSEE, MSEE
Avanti Research and Development - unusual antenna patents
3rd Order Intermod Calculation
Genesys Filter Design Software Package, now owned by Keysight
RFID Industry
Omniangle Antenna
Rectangle Antenna
Halo Antenna
Squalo Antenna
Amateur VHF/UHF Rover
Fourier Series Calculator
W4OP PR8 Receiver
Edistone 890 Radio Dial
Heathkit SB313 Cabinet
Water Slip Decals
S-Meter
FDIM, Four Days In May
Club Saver Two Meter Rig Project
Filter S21 Characteristic
Drake B Line

Greatest challenge facing ham radio: Forgetting the history of our amateur radio. Hams should listen more and become more technical.

Advice to returning hams: Don’t be shocked at all of the changes.

The RSS Feed for all audio content from QSO today is available from here.

Please join our QSO Today community by pressing the button below. It is the best way to suggest guests and topics, and provide feedback to Eric, 4Z1UG.

W4OP PR8 HF Transceiver

W4OP All Mode HF Transceiver

W4OP Six-Meter Transceiver

Gonset Communicator, 6 Meters

10 Comments

Jim Wilson, K5ND link

3/7/2020 03:48:54 pm

What a great interview. I have a number of omniangles as well as the six meter stressed moxon from Par Electronics. It was super to hear about Dale's start in amateur radio and electronics engineering as well as the path that his business has followed. Great job Eric and Dale.

73, Jim, K5ND

NICK KENNEDY WA5BDU

3/8/2020 06:03:44 pm

Beautiful homebrew equipment!

Anthony W.DePrato

3/10/2020 06:37:23 pm

nice podcast with Dale W4OP. He does some great restore work. but he tell you his most loved rig is the Drake TR7 HIHI...73 Tony WA4JQS /VP8SSI/3Y0PI

Connie Brown

3/23/2020 05:46:42 pm

Dale, you look fabulous! I'm glad you followed your dream of ham radio! Looks like you've been so successful with it. I'm happy for you.
Connie

linda loveless

1/1/2021 04:56:43 pm

when I knew you 55 years ago you were WA2YPY

Dale R. Parfitt link

8/31/2021 07:58:04 am

Hi Linda,
Wowzers! So great to hear from you. That was some time back wasn't it? We go to Keuka every other year and get together with Jim Antes, my brother, and others from the neighborhood. Still running and playing ham radio. I hope this finds you well.

ALBERT DAUBY

2/23/2021 03:16:55 am

I am restoring a Hallicrafters SR400 and don't manage to find a function switch.
Can somebody help me ?
Best regards,
ON6DU Albert

Dale R. Parfitt link

8/31/2021 07:50:28 am

Hi Albert,
I have managed to replace the fingers on rotary switches using donor pieces from another switch and #1 hardware. Hope this helps,

Dale W4OP

Chuck Eckerline

8/16/2021 06:38:32 pm

Dale, I remember you well from our days over half a century ago at Syracuse U., cross country team, Drumlins cross country course and of course Lawrinson Dorm. Who could forget our watching of "Star Treck"?

I'm still working as an ER doc at the University of KY.

Glad to see my old teammate has done so well.

Chuck, SU '72

Dale R. Parfitt link

8/31/2021 07:54:12 am

Hi Chuck,
Great to hear from you.- and congrats on your success. I still run, although racing less. I really got into Masters racing and set my Master's 5K PR of 15:34 certified. You may recall my room mate Don Gibbons. I wil be seeing him during our biannual trip back to Keuka.

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W4OP

Episode 292 - Dale Parfitt - W4OP

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